About the Department

The Department of Economics is rapidly approaching the top 10 programs nationally. It is broadly focused on econometrics, micro and macroeconomic theory, and applied economics, with distinctive collaborations across these boundaries.

Faculty research encompasses the broad fields of finance, international trade, development, public sector studies, law, business and monetary economics, with specialized scholarship focused on environmental and ecological economics, cultural, agricultural and natural resource economics, education, racial inequality, and labor and economic demography.

The department is home to approximately 700 undergraduate students, making economics one of the most popular majors on campus, and our graduate programs have approximately 221 students working toward a master's degree or Ph.D. Both students and faculty are supported by a helpful and caring staff, who are dedicated to the department's success.

Featured Courses

Examination of key developments in macroeconomics from the 1930s through the present. Case studies of the evolution of macroeconomics in political and social context. Topics include the theory of unemployment in the Great Depression; growth theory and the rise of business cycle modeling in the aftermath of World War II; the trade-off between inflation and unemployment in the 1950s and 1960s; the... Read More »

How does what happens in families, schools and communities shape individuals and the world around them? How can we learn what really matters? Course explores variety of ways in which various methods of social sciences can and cannot give answers to these basic questions and how practitioners wrestle with ethical implications of their work. Main focus is on thinking critically about claims made by... Read More »

Job Market Paper Abstract

Specialties

Duke Financial Economics Center (DFE)

The DFE has a global, interdisciplinary approach to issues and applications of finance in today's world, with an eye to both educational and career opportunities. The DFE's goals are to broaden the range of finance courses and research opportunities offered to Duke students, to continue hiring world-renowned faculty in financial economics, and to increase options for active engagement between Duke students, faculty, and alumni.